ENGINEERING CERAMICS AND

GLASSES
Assignment: 02:

Muhammad nadeem aslam, 17mme-s1-317

 Assignment: 02
Objective:

Fig: 01:

Defect type:
The defect type is pinhole.

Origin:
The origin of the defect is glaze.

Causes:
Pinhole can be occurred due to the following reasons,
1. If the firing temperature cycle is not controlled properly then pinhole can occurs.
2. Due to Incorrect composition of glaze.
3. Raw materials of glaze having clays can cause pinholes.
4. Less fluidity of glaze results in pinholes.

Remedies:

1. Increase the time of firing cycle.

2. Add more flux to increase fluidity.
3. Apply thin shade of glaze on the ceramic body.1

Fig: 04:

Defect type:
Type of defect is cracking:

Origin:
This defect is in the ceramic.

Causes:
These defects are occurred during the drying test of DFAC disk to check the ability of clays to
resist cracking during drying and the causes of these defects are,
1. Low plasticity of clay
 2. Morphology of particles ( less chances of cracking if particles are of plate like structure)
3. Larger particles size of clay
4. Faster drying process
5. Unequal distribution of particles ( poor mixing of clay particles)

Remedies:

1. Slower the process of firing

2. Grind the clay particle very well (super grind for better results)
3. Choose clay having higher plasticity
4. Properly mix the clay particles. 2

Fig: 05:

Defect type:
Defect shown in fig 05 is crawling.

Origin:
Glaze is the origin of this defect.

Causes:
1. Crawling occurs due to thick application of glaze and thus during drying, at some places
due to low fluidity the glaze compromise its bond with the surface below rather than
itself and crawling occur.
2. Excessive fineness of glaze particle (too long milling) also cause crawling. Because with
increasing fineness the density increases.
3. It is also due to increased surface tension during firing.
4. It can be if one glaze is applied over another glaze.

Remedies:

1. Apply thin coating of glaze.

2. Amy add some amount of extra flux to increase fluidity.
3. Avoid over grinding of glaze material.
4. Small amount of gum can be add in the glaze batch to avoid this problem.2

Fig: 10:

Defect type:
Defect is crazing.
Origin:
Both the glaze and the body on which glaze is applied, because it occurs due to relative thermal
expansion of glaze and the body.

Causes:
It occurs when the thermal expansion of glaze is slower than the thermal expansion of the
ceramic body which results in detachment of parts of glazing from the ceramic body.

Remedies:
1. Increase thermal expansion of glaze by decreasing quarts (low thermal expansion) and
increasing the feldspar (high thermal expansion).3

Fig: 08:

Defect type:
Defects type is bloating.

Origin:
The origin of bloating can be glaze and ceramic body both.

Causes:
1. Bloating occurs due to mineral particles e.g. sulphates that generate gases during the firing
stage.
2. Presence of excessive carbon or carbon containing particles.
3. Due to early melting glaze that seals the surface thus preventing gas escape.
4. It can also be if ceramics are over fired.
5. Over grinding also results in bloating

Remedies:
1. Avoid too much grinding of particles so that the gases can escape because too
small particles reduce the permeability of gases.
2. By Controlled amount of carbon containing particles.
3. Set the temperature below the range at which bloating can occur (suitable
temperature 45 deg. C per hour or 1350C° ).4
References:
1. The A. T. Green Book". pp. 255–268 "Let out". W. T. Wilkinson, A. Dinsdale. The British
Ceramic Research Association. 1959.
2. Autoclave Test Results on Crazing Of Sanitary Ware and Wall Tiles". Diary of the American
Ceramic Society. Volume 29 Issue 7, pp. 203–204. 2010
3. Glazing Faults In Raw Glazes". Ceram. Inf. 18, (207), pp, 348, 1983.
4. A. I. Andrews; "Ceramic Tests & Calculations", New York, John Wiley & Sons, 1928, pg. 17
- 40.